


Happy Birthday, Chief

by Lavavulture



Series: Cadash Is Actually a Tender Poet (which explains all the booze) [5]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Light Dom/sub, M/M, Mild Voyeurism, References to Cole/Cullen, Trespasser DLC
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-04
Updated: 2016-06-04
Packaged: 2018-07-12 06:21:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7088785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lavavulture/pseuds/Lavavulture
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cole is a Charger, through and through, and sometimes that means undertaking very dangerous missions.  And sometimes that means distracting Iron Bull with sex while the other Chargers do heavy lifting.  This is one of those two options.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happy Birthday, Chief

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written a story in this series for a long time, shit. This could stand alone, but then you might wonder why I kept banging on about Cole and Cullen fucking around, which they do more thoroughly in [Kriegspiel](http://archiveofourown.org/works/3729979). Please enjoy if you want.

Cole listened with satisfaction to the gentle roar of the Chargers around him at the table in the bright tavern. He took small sips of the apple-flavored drink that Dalish had shoved into his hands as soon as he’d sat down. If he closed his eyes he could almost feel the sharp longing of the woman who’d picked one of the apples that went into making his drink. The drink made his cheeks flush warm before fading away almost immediately. He couldn’t get drunk the same way that the others could, just like food couldn’t do anything to soothe the empty tear in his stomach, but he liked to drink with the other Chargers anyway. 

“That bartender is a tall dream, my lad, don’t you think?” Rocky elbowed Cole as he spoke in what he thought was a conspiratorial tone. It was loud enough for Sera to hear it two tables down and she hooted in agreement. The bartender smirked and shook her head but she did send a serving girl to refill their glasses.

“I would never have thought that I would be on the grounds of the Winter Palace,” Skinner said. She glared at the center of the table and took another quick shot from her bottle of strong, clear drink. “It makes my skin crawl to be so close to the Empress.”

“Is the Empress actually here?” Dalish wondered, one of her pale eyebrows lifted high. “I imagined that she would want to avoid the Divine. So awkward.”

“There was a book in her quarters that she’d wanted for years, the pages faded and fragile. Apology or warning?” Cole curled his fingers tighter around his glass as he considered. It was both but Vivienne already knew that and wouldn’t thank him for telling her, especially as she relaxed in the baths, in clear view of everybody who whispered and wondered. Cole didn’t understand it but Vivienne felt more comfortable here, where everybody weighed every word twenty times before saying it, than she ever had in the warmth and openness of Cadash’s Skyhold.

“I feel bad for anybody trying to play Madame de Fer, even if that person is an empress,” Stitches said and laughed when Grim nodded in agreement.

“Divine Victoria, you heathen,” Dalish said primly. Stitches rolled his eyes at her and Rocky belched in approval, which made Skinner snort. 

Krem entered the tavern and scanned the room for a quick moment before finding them. He was practically humming with excitement, all under the calm wall that was his face for the world. Cole listened to the hum. Krem felt particularly nice when he was happy, strong and solid as the maul he used in battle.

“Listen up, you lot,” Krem said as he came to the table. “I want you all outside in one minute. And not a word to the Chief. I’ve got a surprise.”

The Chargers stared at each before Krem’s sharp clap scrambled them into motion. They followed the lieutenant to the back of the tavern, where they all froze as one in shock.

“Is that a bloody dragon skull?” Stitches asked. “The fuck did you get that?”

“I have my sources,” Krem said in the tone he used when he wanted no discussion about the matter.

“Where did he get it, lad?” Rocky asked, jostling Cole once again. Rocky was already three drinks past his tolerance and it made him even more impulsive than usual. “Was it another gift from that duchess Krem saved from those kidnappers?”

“Yes,” Cole murmured and then lowered his head when Krem turned his stern eyes to him. He had been curious too and it had just slipped out. 

“No matter where it came from, I hope you aren’t all too thick to see what we should do with it.” He looked to them all in turn and then sighed. “The Chief’s birthday, you drunk arseholes.”

“Oh,” the Chargers murmured together. And then more excited, “Oh!” 

Cole walked over to the dragon skull and slid his hand over the rough curve of its lower jaw. He could still feel her flying, fighting, all the years of blood and fire and bone swirling together. It made him ache fiercely for a bright instance before settling to an expectant pulse in his gut. Iron Bull would like it.

“We’re going to drag it into the tavern and surprise him,” Krem said. Even his years of practice at hiding his feelings couldn’t entirely disguise his excitement over the idea. “And I don’t want him cotton on to it. Cole!”

“Yes?” Cole turned to face Krem and then remembered squad hierarchy—such a difficult concept to always keep in mind but Iron Bull had told him that it was important—before he had to be reminded. “Yes, sir?”

“I want you to go distract Iron Bull somewhere so we can get this inside,” Krem said evenly, ignoring the gleefully salacious hoots from the Chargers at his command.

Cole thought it over. “I can do that.”

“Of course, I wouldn’t have said otherwise.” Krem handled the complexities of commanding his commander’s lover by simply acting as though no special circumstance existed. He treated Cole the same as he treated the rest of the Chargers, harsh training and all. 

“We can have sex somewhere,” Cole clarified because he wanted Krem to know that he was taking his mission very seriously indeed and was extremely focused.

The hoots grew louder but Krem just nodded sharply. “Figured that. Get on with it then, Charger. Horns up.”

“Horned up,” Dalish whispered to Grim and the group dissolved into drunken laughter. 

Krem smiled but it wasn’t a friendly smile. “Oh, you bastards are going to wish that you’d saved some of that breath when you start lifting. Move out!”

Cole left the others to begin the arduous task of lifting up the skull in order to slip back into the tavern. Iron Bull had walked in during their briefing and was settled at the bar, enjoying a rest after he’d spent the morning taking a careful stock of everybody coming in and out of the palace grounds. He didn’t trust the security of the Winter Palace and he’d already sternly told Cole and the others to keep an eye on Cadash and Vivienne. Cole didn’t think either really needed protection but he would always do his best to help them.

“Where did you slip off to this morning?” Iron Bull asked as Cole came close to the bar. He took the drink out of Cole’s hand and then roughly pulled him onto his lap. He drained the cider in one long swallow and slammed it back down onto the counter with a happy growl. “That’s some strong shit, Kid.”

“I wanted to say hello to Dorian.” Cole squirmed until he was in a more comfortable position on Iron Bull’s thick leg, only settling when Iron Bull placed a warning hand on his hip and squeezed. “He wakes up early because there’s so much work to do. And then Cullen wanted to play a game.”

“Hmmmm, I’ll bet he did,” Iron Bull rumbled with real interest in his voice. 

Cole tilted his head and considered. He and Cullen had played a game of chess, one that Cole had lost almost immediately, but Iron Bull was thinking more about the victory that the Commander had claimed after. It had been half-victory and half-reunion since Cole hadn’t seen the Commander—or felt his heavy hand in his hair—for months. The memory made the awakening arousal in Cole spike higher. He leaned up long against Iron Bull’s side and spoke into his ear. “Cassandra left the view of the mountains behind the stone stairs so that she could meet Warden Rainier for the first time. It’s empty now. Can we go there?”

“And do what?” Iron Bull asked, with a soft curl on his lips. He knew what—just like he knew why—but he was willing to play along with the ruse. Cole understood why. It would make the other Chargers so happy to surprise him.

“You can spank me,” Cole said carefully, in shivering pleasure at the thought. Cullen had given him enough lectures on using appropriate terminology when it came to the ways that Iron Bull used his body that he always specified now, even if he didn’t completely understand why it made a difference. Iron Bull did hurt him and it wasn’t bad. His eyes swam with the idea of the pain that felt as real and as good as the pleasure that always followed. He would carry the soreness for days like a secret that was made just for him. 

Iron Bull jerked in sudden arousal, his big hand squeezing at Cole’s hip as he considered the idea. He eventually shook his head. “I don’t think that you earned that back yet, not with the way you ran into that fight when I told you to be careful.”

Cole wanted to protest but Iron Bull had been genuinely angry when he’d gotten stabbed by a mercenary in the outer parts of Val Royeaux. It had only been a light stabbing and he’d been the only one to walk away from the fight but Iron Bull had still lectured him for an hour when he’d returned to the group. 

Iron Bull ran his thumb over the back of Cole’s neck when he sighed in disappointment. “But how about you remind me how well you can suck my cock and then I’ll fuck you until those guys figure out how to move that skull?” 

“All right!” Cole slid out of Iron Bull's lap eagerly and was out the door in a flash. He didn’t wait for Iron Bull to catch up to him because he was much, much faster and it felt good to show him that. Iron Bull still felt a little too rattled from the fight for Cole to make it a real challenge—to run to their destination with the stipulation that Iron Bull could only have him if he could catch him and force him down—but he still felt a surge of elation when he reached the secret alcove first.

Once Cole had worried about those sorts of new feelings, about the pride over his abilities, the greed for more heady sensations, and especially the anger, burning bright under his chest when he came across things that used to only make him feel compassion. But that was then and he was what he was now and even if it still felt unnatural to change and remember, he’d learned to accept it. He could still help and his friends wouldn’t let him hurt anyone and that was what truly mattered. 

He peered over the railing and noticed that there was another smaller alcove half-hidden below. Cole made a quick, careful note of it so that he could tell Leliana later and potentially expand her detailed notes of the estate. He was one of Iron Bull’s men and nobody questioned that but Leliana had made a convincing case to the Inquisitor over the years that she should be able to borrow him from time to time. He didn’t mind. Cole liked the boldness of being a Charger but he knew deep inside that he was more suited to Leliana’s clandestine machinations, especially now that they didn’t always end in death.

“That’s some kind of view,” Iron Bull said from behind him. Cole tried to turn but Iron Bull trapped him against the stone railing and pushed down, not as hard as usual but enough that he couldn’t move even if he struggled. 

Iron Bull grabbed Cole’s hat off of his head and dropped in onto the bench behind him before he leaned over. His breath was heavy and warm against Cole’s neck and before the tension could grow too strong, he moved the rest of the way to press his lips to waiting skin. Cole shivered.

“The Commander make you suck him off?” Iron Bull asked. He pressed one of his hands down onto Cole’s on the railing and sent his other hand across Cole’s stomach, sliding down with calm purpose. He skated briefly over the bandages on Cole’s stomach under his shirt and it made him press harder on Cole’s hand.

“Yes,” Cole said even though Cullen didn’t have to make him do anything. He’d been the one to press an eager kiss to Cullen’s mouth in the wake of the Commander’s victory, over his blushing cheek as Cullen had pulled him away from watchful eyes. Cole had been disappointed a bit at that. He didn’t mind if people watched. He liked it when people saw him and remembered.

“Good boy,” Iron Bull said and he meant both of them. He released him suddenly and when Cole turned around, Iron Bull was already sitting down onto the bench next to his hat. He leaned back into a comfortable slouch and gestured to Cole. “Show me what you did. I want to know that my demon did me proud.”

Cole couldn’t fall to his knees fast enough, even though the stone barked at his skin when he went down. He pulled Iron Bull’s belt off and worked his cock up out of his loose trousers. It was half-hard already and Cole wondered if Iron Bull had been thinking of them together before he’d sat in his lap. He hoped so. 

Even soft Iron Bull’s cock was thick enough to stretch Cole’s mouth to an almost painful degree. Half-hard it was a struggle to take it inside, after he’d licked along the warm ridges and nuzzled at the round head. He pulled the slick head into his mouth and sucked, moaning as the shaft thickened in his hands.

“Don’t be lazy,” Iron Bull said sternly, but his half-opened eye was softer than his tone suggested. He wound his fingers up in Cole’s hair and tugged until Cole took him deeper inside. It made Cole moan around the heavy weight pressing inside of him. He pressed one of his hands down to the stone under him and slid his fingers out wide. He wanted to touch himself but he also wanted to be good for Iron Bull, to make him forget about the stitches in Cole’s side.

Iron Bull let him suck his cock for a few moments before he reached out with his other hand and secured Cole’s head in a tight grip. Then Iron Bull began thrusting into his mouth at a quick, controlled pace, looking grimly pleased when it made Cole moan louder around his cock. Cole couldn’t help it. It felt so good to make someone else feel so good.

Too soon for Cole’s liking Iron Bull slowed to a crawl and began pulling away. Cole whined out a protest, reaching for him but Iron Bull grabbed his wrists in one hand and pulled him to his feet. 

“We don’t have a lot of time, _kadan_ ,” Iron Bull said and squeezed Cole’s wrists to show him that he also wished that the opposite was true. “It’s not going to take them forever to figure out how to move that thing.”

“Dalish thought that she could make it fly but then she dropped it on Rocky’s foot.” Cole decided that he would bring Rocky some warm blackpowder soup in the morning when he’d sobered up and realized that he was in pain.

Iron Bull shook his head like he was annoyed but he didn’t bother to hide the fond grin on his face. He loved his Chargers and sometimes he would dream of that day on the Coast, of making a different decision, and he wouldn’t even recognize the person he was in the aftermath. The other him frightened him. He might have frightened Cole too but he wasn’t real and Cole didn’t worry as much about things that could have been. The possibilities were endless and made his head hurt.

Before Cole could do anything else, Iron Bull spun him around and pushed him against the railing until he was bent over it, staring down at the secret alcove with expectant eyes. He didn’t have to wait long before he felt Iron Bull tugging down his leathers just enough to palm his ass, hands wide and warm on eager flesh. 

Even though Iron Bull had said that he wasn’t going to hurt him, Cole still widened his legs as much as he could and pressed back against those hands, hopeful. He moaned as Iron Bull slid his thumb over his hole and then gasped as Iron Bull brought his other thumb over and spread him wide.

“It’s my birthday tonight too. I’m going to have to think of something special for you to give me.” Iron Bull spread him wider and Cole moaned in appreciation. Iron Bull spit down and rubbed it slick and wet around his waiting hole before pressing his cockhead against the soft, straining flesh.

Cole went completely still as Iron Bull entered him, the only sounds the murmur of the courtyard and the faint songs of birds all around. He concentrated on a symbol carved into the stone below as he felt his body relax and stretch while he was filled. It still made him feel lightheaded, even years later. 

“This is what I needed today.” Iron Bull growled in satisfaction and squeezed Cole’s ass hard. Cole whimpered softly—so that Iron Bull might do it again—and then collapsed against the stone as Iron Bull began moving in him, rough and relentless. “Too many damned people everywhere.”

Cole moaned in agreement and closed his eyes but not before he saw a cloaked figure move on the alcove below. He made a mental note of all the details for Leliana later before he let the idea of someone—anyone—watching them together burn him hotter and hotter.

“We’ll keep the Inquisitor safe,” Cole said in Qunlat and then collapsed into helpless shivering cries when his words made Iron Bull fuck into him harder. The last thing that Cole felt before everything splintered apart in pleasure was Iron Bull’s heavy hand falling down on his ass, sending a wonderful sting reverberating throughout his entire body.

“You bet your ass we will,” Iron Bull said and followed him over the precipice.

 

“Surprise! Happy birthday, Chief!” Krem waved his hand out towards the dragon skull on the tavern floor as Iron Bull and Cole walked back inside.

“Oh, you guys! You got me!” Iron Bull admired the skull on the ground and briefly squeezed Cole’s neck before roping in closer to his present. He knelt down to prod and stroke at the smooth bone and then grinned up at the Chargers. “Where did you get this?”

“We have our sources,” Cole said and then pressed his hands together happily when Krem nodded to him in approval.

“This is the best birthday present ever,” Iron Bull declared and the Chargers cheered.

The night inevitably led to more drinking, lots of singing, and at one point Stitches fell asleep on top of the dragon skull and had to be carried away swearing in his sleep. Cole didn’t have birthdays but he thought that if he did, he’d want them all to go exactly like this.

“Happy birthday, The Iron Bull,” Cole said, holding his third mug of that sweet cider tight against his chest so that Skinner couldn’t steal it away from him again. 

“Yeah,” Iron Bull said. He gently worked a chicken leg out of a sleeping Krem’s hand and patted his lieutenant on the back when he mumbled dreamily. “I’m a lucky guy.”

Cole leaned against Iron Bull and sighed when his arms circled around him. He began trembling when Iron Bull leaned in closer, his teeth edging close to his ear. “And my birthday’s not over yet, _kadan_. Not even close.”

Cole didn’t know exactly what Iron Bull wanted next but he’d gotten pretty good over the years at figuring stuff out and he was very sure that whatever it was, it would feel like it was his birthday too. In any case it was clear his mission wasn’t over.

Horns up.


End file.
